As you’ve seen on the blog in the past few weeks, we’ve been revisiting some of our favourite posts from the past year that you may have missed. We’ll be beginning original programming again shortly, but this week we wanted to draw your attention to one of our favourite infographics – the story of fracking in the UK.

There has been a slow-burning but very real concern rising in the UK due to the impending energy crisis. The threat of power cuts has been highlighted due to falling electricity margins, along with the need for the UK to pursue more renewable energy strategies. This has led to much ink being spilled in the British press on the issue of hydraulic fracturing – commonly known as fracking.

Fracking is the process of harvesting shale gas, deposits of which are found trapped in shale rock deep underground. A high pressure mix of water and chemicals is shot down specially drilled wells with the aim of releasing the gas.

There have been a great number of discussions about the safety of fracking; with some saying it poses a threat to the purity of drinking water, while others highlight fracking as the only real, actionable solution to Britain’s fuel shortage. Whatever the case, it’s fair to say that fracking has divided the opinion of the British public and is set to dominate the discussion around energy production for a significant amount of time.

We have decided to take a look at the story of fracking, and the pros and cons it offers the British energy industry by producing a scrolling infographic, taking in the past, present and future of fracking in the UK.

We’re taking another look at IR35 on the Kingsbridge Contractor Insurance blog today. This week – should you get your contract reviewed for IR35 compliance?

IR35 is the legislation on everyone’s lips and it’s a subject that we have covered a number of times. Since its passing into law in 2000, it’s been a priority for freelancers and contractors to make sure they don’t get caught in the IR35 net.

Some professional organisations now offer independent reviews of your contracts that check for IR35 compliance, giving you the peace of mind from the outset that you are not at risk of being caught out. This week, we’re going to investigate if these contract reviews are really worth it for independent professionals today.

We’re taking another dip into the Kingsbridge archives this week as we continue to highlight some of our previous posts you may have missed. Today, we’re taking another look at tax and what the modern contractor needs to consider.

You’ve established yourself as a contractor; you’ve networked, you’re looked for jobs, and you’ve completed your first contract with a new client. Now it’s time for the best bit – receiving your first cheque.

Don’t get too attached to that number, though. You need to make sure you factor in the tax you owe, now that your tax isn’t being collected on a pay-as-you-earn basis. When you’re starting out as a contractor, it’s really important that you get your head around the realities of your tax situation in order to ensure that you don’t incur the penalties associated with paying the wrong amount of tax.

Read on to find out the kind of things that are worth considering when it comes to tax and the modern contractor.

At Kingsbridge Contractor Insurance, sometimes we like to revisit blog posts we’ve done in the past. It might be that you didn’t see the post first time around, or that you’ve only recently taken out an insurance policy with us. For this post we’re going back to October 2014, to take another look at our Contractor’s Guide to IR35 Legislation.

The Intermediaries Legislation, or IR35 as it is more commonly known, has been a topic of conversation for many in the world of contracting. With HMRC this year promising to reduce IR35 case investigation time, this key piece of legislation is now a topic that no contractor can afford to ignore.

There’s enough to discuss about IR35 to make another blog post entirely (in fact, we’ve donejust that). But, to put it simply, it’s a piece of government legislation aimed at uncovering ‘disguised employment’. What’s that? In essence, ‘disguised employment’ is when a freelancer works on a contract through their limited company, but their working conditions and contract indicate that they are working in the same way as a traditional employee.

If you get caught up in this legislation then your income will be subject to normal income tax and National Insurance contributions, meaning that you’ll lose the advantage of the low salary, high dividends tax arrangement that many contractors benefit from.

If HMRC decide to investigate the validity of your contract against the stipulations of IR35 legislation then they’ll carry out a series of Business Entity Tests. These tests function as one of the ways to prove that your contract is at low, medium, or high risk of being caught out by IR35.

Being covered by professional indemnity insurance (one of the elements of the Kingsbridge policy package) can improve your IR35 stance significantly, and forms a significant part of the Business Entity Test.

Ensuring you are fully covered as a freelance contractor is a vital step towards covering yourself at every level. At Kingsbridge we have designed our core insurance package to cover the risks you’re exposed to as a freelance contractor. This includes Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and Employers’ Liability cover, all at levels that suit the needs of the modern freelancer.

One of the most important parts of what we do here at Kingsbridge Contractor Insurance is finding out what it is our customers do for work. As the list of professions and roles we cover continues to grow, so does our list of job titles. We consider ourselves to be experts in every field we cover, but on occasion there are jobs that even we have to Google before setting up a contractor with insurance. In the first of a series featuring all of the industries we cover, we take a look at what some of the more confounding job titles and specific areas within the Oil & Gas industry actually mean.

Insurance Times is the media partner of choice, and premier news, information and insight brand, for general insurance in the UK, with an audience of key decision-makers, business placers and principals in brokers, insurers and service suppliers. The awards take place on 1st December at Battersea Evolution in London. We’ll keep you updated on any future nominations or award wins right here on the Kingsbridge blog.

In the meantime, if you’re a contractor or freelancer looking for insurance then why not get a quote online, or get in touch with one of our client services team on 01242 808740 or at info@kingsbridge.co.uk. You can find us on Twitter and Facebook too.

As a contractor, you’ll find that clients and agencies will often insist that you hold adequate insurance before you undertake a contract. Having the right insurance in place will ensure you’re in line with the terms of your contract, and will provide you with cover should a claim be made against you. One of the most important covers for a contractor or freelance professional to hold is professional indemnity insurance (also known as PI.)

PI is a key IR35 indicator. It’s not a requirement for a traditional employee as they’d be covered by the insurance provisions of their end client. Holding professional indemnity insurance therefore provides a clear distinction between contractor and employee. The fact that you, as the contractor, have purchased professional indemnity insurance demonstrates a financial obligation and a responsibility to protect your interests.

Below you’ll find an easy to follow breakdown of what PI is, why you need it, and a few examples of claims so you can see the full picture.

APSCo, short for The Association of Professional Staffing Companies, is committed to identifying, promoting and celebrating best practice and excellence in recruitment. Since 1999 they’ve showcased best practice through their Annual Excellence Awards. Winners have to pass a rigorous assessment process that makes the Awards one of the most prestigious accolades in the industry. We’ll keep you updated on any future nominations or award wins right here on the Kingsbridge blog.

In the meantime, if you’re a contractor or freelancer looking for insurance then why not get a quote online, or get in touch with one of our client services team on 01242 808740 or at info@kingsbridge.co.uk. You can find us on Twitter and Facebook too.

The world of contractor insurance can sometimes be a little confusing to navigate. Everywhere you look there are people telling you what you need and what you don’t. Here at Kingsbridge we know the contractor marketplace inside out. With fifteen years of experience serving the contractor community, we’re able to provide knowledgeable, trustworthy, and impartial advice. Below we’ll try and clear up a few of the most common misconceptions that surround contractor insurance. Without further ado: